PS 3511 
.A735 
S6 

1 1921 
Copy 1 



"ongsfor Barents 




Farrar 




n™ TS 35 \\ 



GopyrightN?- 







COI^RIGHT DEPOSIT. 



Songs for Barents 



"By *Mr. Farrar: 

< * Forgotten Shrines. ' 



Songs for Barents 

'By John Farrar 




J\(ew Haven • Tale University 'Press • zM'cmxxi 
jQpndon • Humphrey dftGlford • Oxford University Press 



Copyright, 1 92 1, by Tale University 'Press 



The author thanks the editors of the New York Evening 
Post, the New York World, Contemporary Verse, and 
Parabalou for permission to reprint some of the poems in this 
book. . 



tLP 30 1921 



©CU624574 



'Dedication 

Here's a rhyme for Barbara, 

Laughing white and pink, 
Here's a rhyme for smiling Ted, 

And one for Wink. 

Now Dick's not much at reading rhymes, 

He'd rather sit and fish. 
Well, here's a couple of verses, Dick, 

Read them if you wish! 



Qontents 

Dedication 5 

SONGS OF DESIRE 

Summer Explorer . . . . . . . 11 

Spring Wish 12 

Ambition 13 

Dreams 14 

Water-Lily 15 

Humor 16 

Independence 17 

SONGS FOR OUT OF DOORS . 

A Comparison 21 

Speculation 21 

Parade 22 

Flower Preferences 23 

Parental Advice 24 

Song for a Child Watching Clouds ... 25 

Problem 26 

Garden Musings 26 

My Garden 27 

Tracks 27 

Chanticleer . 28 

Rainbow 28 

Windmill 29 

Cat-Fish 29 

7 



Visiting 30 

Castles 3° 

Parenthood 31 

SONGS OF CIRCUMSTANCE 

Moral Song 35 

Serious Omission 36 

Choice 36 

Natural Fireworks 37 

Conspiracy • • 37 

Cuckoo Clock 38 

The Sentinel 39 

Royalty 4° 

Crackers 4 1 

The Drum . • 4 1 

Theatricals 4 2 

Sally 43 

SONGS FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE 

Bundles 47 

The Candy Santa Claus 48 

The Tinsel Star . 49 

The Ambitious Mouse . . . . . .50 

Prayer 51 



Songs ofT)esire 



\ 



Summer Explorer 

I'd like to be a gypsy 
With gold rings in my ears, 
Along the road to sit and sing, 
And not to do another thing 
For years and years; 

A road to dream upon by day, 
A fire for dreams at night, 
Free to wander far away, 
Free to shout and free to play, 
Quite impolite. 

I'd pitch my tent beside a wall, 
All apple trees within, 
And if the apples didn't fall, 
I wouldn't hesitate at all. 
I'd climb — and sin ! 

But if the weather wasn't fine, 

If all the world were rain, 

If there weren't anywhere to dine 

And goose-flesh quivered up my spine- 

I might come home again ! 



ii 



Spring Wish 

A frog's a very happy thing, 
Cool and green in early spring, 
Quick and silver through the pool, 
With no thought of books or school. 

Oh, I want to be a frog, 
Sunning, stretching on a log, 
Blinking there in splendid ease, 
Swimming naked when I please, 
Nosing into magic nooks, 
Quiet marshes, noisy brooks. 

Free ! And fit for anything ! 
Oh, to be a frog in spring! 



12 



^Ambition 

If I were a rocket 
Shot high across the night, 
I'd rather burst in silver stars 
Than green or purple light; 

For then, perhaps, I'd fool the moon, 
Although she's very wise, 
And thinking me a baby star 
She'd keep me in the skies. 



13 



© 



reams 



I'd like to dream my own dreams, 
Instead of dreaming those 
The silly sandman brings along 
Like moving picture shows. 

I'd like to dream of palaces, 
Of magic meadowlands, 
Of silver gates and golden thrones 
And chanting fairy bands; 

Of seas of spraying jewels, 

Of dancing crystal ships, 

Of the queen of all the elves herself — 

Two rubies for her lips; 

But, alas ! I never dream such things, 
And when I jump and wake 
As an oozy ogre clutches me — 
It's just a stomach ache ! 



14 



Water-Lily 

I'd like to be a water-lily sleeping on the river, 
Where solemn rushes whisper, and funny ripples 

quiver. 
All day I'd watch the blue sky — all night I'd 

watch the black, 
Floating in the soft waves, dreaming on my back, 
And when I'd tired of dreaming, I'd call a passing 

fish, 
"I want to find the sea!" I'd shout, "Come! You 

can grant my wish!" 

He'd bite me from my moorings, and softly I 

would slip 
To the center of the river like an ocean-going 

ship. 
The waves would laugh upon me. The wind 

would blow me fast, 
And oh, what shores and wonders would greet 

me as I passed! 
Yes, if I were a water-lily, I'd sail to sea in state — 
A green frog for my captain — and a dragon-fly 

for mate ! 



15 



Hi 



umor 

Have you ever watched the clowns at play, 
White, red and black on circus day? 
They're always very, very gay. 
I wonder how they stay that way! 

I'd like to be a clown, 
Playing tricks around the town, 
Turning somersaults and springs, 
As if they were easy things, 
Laughing morning, noon and night, 
Being such a funny sight ! 

Do you think, then, I'd grow tired of fun, 
Laughing so from sun to sun? 
Or, when performances are done, 
Do clown-folk cry like anyone? 



16 



Independence 

I like to go out in the night 

When there's neither a sound nor a light, 

With my hands and feet bare, 

And the wind in my hair, 

Not a nurse nor a parent in sight; 

But only the night, moon and me 
As I dance in the dew joyfully, 
Quite daring and bold 
For there's no one to scold, 
Because there is no one to see. 



17 



Songs for Out of "Doors 



^A (Comparison 

Apple blossoms look like snow, 
They're different, though. 
Snow falls softly, but it brings 
Noisy things : 

Sleighs and bells, forts and fights, 
Cosy nights. 

But apple blossoms when they go, 

White and slow, 

Quiet all the orchard space, 

Till the place 

Hushed with falling sweetness seems 

Filled with dreams. 



Speculation 

I wonder if God sits alone 
Upon the highest mountain stone 
To stir the clouds and drop the rain, 
And then to pick it up again. 

I wonder if he sends the brooks 
Foaming from their distant nooks, 
And, sitting there in robes of gray, 
Turns rivers on at break of day. 
21 



Parade 

The scarlet trumpet flowers are gay 
And yet they never seem to play, 
They never trumpet up the dawn 
Nor blow retreat across the lawn. 

But oh, to-day I heard a strain, 
A happy, martial, quick refrain, 
As down across the garden grass 
I saw the marching flowers pass: 

Gaudy phlox and flaunting rose, 
Stiff and straight and on their toes, 
And, blaring from the garden wall, 
The trumpet flower led them all. 



22 



Flower Preferences 

If I were a tiny fairy 

With nothing else to do 
But to wriggle into flowers 

All the long day through, 

I'd dance among the roses, 

I'd take a stately walk, 
Balancing precisely 

On an Easter-lily stalk. 

For play I'd choose the jonquils, 
For swimming, poppy cups, 

For jokes and tricks and tiny naps, 
The Johnny-jump-ups ! 

But on some quiet evening, 

I'd leave my fairy band, 
And on a star-flower through the sky 

I'd sail to fairyland. 



23 



Parental Advice 

Who laid the egg that hatched the moon? 
Was it the earth, I wonder, 
Was it the sun, the clouds, or rain, 
Was it night or thunder? 

If I were mother to the moon 
I'd spank her every day 
Until she learned to stay at home 
And never run away! 



24 



Song for a Qhild IV ate king Qlouds 

I've watched the clouds by day and night, 
Great fleecy ones all filled with light, 
Gray beasts that steal across the sky, 
And little fellows slipping by. 

Sometimes they seem like sheep at play, 
Sometimes when they are dull and gray 
The pale sun seems a ship to me, 
Sailing through a rolling sea ; 

And I've seen faces in them too, 
Funny white men on the blue, 
They look so many different ways, 
And not one single cloudlet stays ; 

But on across the heavens they blow, 
I often wonder where they go, 
Now sometime, maybe when I die, 
I, too, will wander through the sky. 



25 



Problem 

If I were a violet I'd think it a shame 

To be always so simple and modest and tame, 

To be hidden away like a hermit or nun 

While the hare-brained pink roses can dance in 

the sun ! 
But consider the naughty wild ways of the rose — 
There must be respectable flowers, I suppose ! 



Gjarden <^Musings 

Why is the lily so stately and still? 
Why doesn't she dance like the gay daffodil? 
Why doesn't she blush like the rose or the pink, 
Or, like mischievous pansy, indulge in a wink? 
Do you think it's because she is holier than they, 
Or did God just decide he would make her that 
way? 



26 



z_My (garden 

My garden was silly and stubborn; 

I worked, but the weeds worked, too ; 
I dug and scraped and scrambled — 

They hustled themselves and grew ; 

Now Ted's garden's fine and cleanly, 
He has lettuce and roses and peas — 

Oh, most probably plants are like children- 
They only behave when they please ! 



'Tracks 

I wonder where the rabbits go 

Who leave their tracks across the snow; 

For when I follow to their den 

The tracks always start out again. 



27 



Qhanticlee?- 

High and proud on the barnyard fence 
Walks rooster in the morning. 
He shakes his comb, he shakes his tail 
And gives his daily warning. 

"Get up, you lazy boys and girls, 
It's time you should be dressing!" 
I wonder if he keeps a clock, 
Or if he's only guessing. 



^ 



ainbow 



The rainbow comes across the hill, 
It shines upon the sky, until 
It frightens all the tears from rain, 
And then it hides itself again. 

Now when I'm very tired of play 
I'll cross that rainbow bridge some day; 
And while dear nurse and father scold, 
I'll reach the end — and find the gold ! 



28 



Windmill 

The windmill stands up like a flower on the hill 
With its petals a-whirling — they seldom stay 

still— 
And its funny old voice creaking all the long day 
As it scolds little breezes for running away. 



Qat-Fish 



The cat-fish with whiskers that lives in the brook, 

Is an ugly old beast with the wickedest look. 

I suppose there were mouse-fish one time in brook 

town 
Till that ugly old cat-fish gulped all of them down. 



29 



Visiting 



You and I shall travel far, 
We'll pass the old earth by, 
We'll ride the moon and drive a star 
Across the evening sky. 

We'll flash upon the milky way 
To pay Dame Night a call — 
But should we happen on old Day — 
We'd fall and fall and fall. 



Qastles 



I used to build me castles of moisty sand and 

shells, 
And dream they were for princesses who wove me 

magic spells; 
But yesterday along the beach my fairy princess 

came — 
And she's too big for castles — now isn't that a 

shame ! 



30 



Parenthood 

The birches that dance on the top of the hill 
Are so slender and young that they cannot keep 

still, 
They bend and they nod at each whiff of a breeze, 
For you see they are still just the children of trees. 

But the birches below in the valley are older, 
They are calmer and -straighter and taller and 

colder. 
Perhaps when we've grown up as solemn and 

grave, 
We, too, will have children who do not behave ! 



3i 



Songs of Qircumstance 



tj&oral Song 



Oh, so cool 

In his deep green pool 

Was a frog on a log one day ! 

He would blink his eyes 

As he snapped at flies, 

For his mother was away, 
For his mother was away! 

Now that naughty frog 

Left his own home log 

And started out to play. 

He flipped and he flopped 

And he never stopped 

Till he reached the great blue bay, 
Till he reached the great blue bay! 

Alas, with a swish 

Came a mighty fish, 

And swallowed him where he lay. 

Now it's things like this 

That never miss 

Little frogs who don't obey, 
Little frogs who don't obey! 



35 



Serious Omission 

I know that there are dragons, 
St. George's, Jason's, too, 
And many modern dragons 
With scales of green and blue ; 

But though I've been there many times 
And carefully looked through, 
I can't find a dragon 
In the cages at the zoo ! 



Qhoice 

If I had just one penny 

On the Fourth of July, 
Oh, what a problem it would be 

To think what I should buy ! 

With lollypops and fire-works, 

With cakes and whiz-bangs, too, 

With tops and candy cigarettes, 
Whatever should I do? 

Torpedoes have a splendid noise, 
But noise is quickly past, 

And the sweetness of a lollypop 
Is something that will last. 

36 



V\[atural Fireworks 

The fireflies in the valley- 
Are having their display 
Among the river willows 
Like little bits of day ! 

Come, light your silver sparkler 
And wave it in the air. 
Go dance among the willows 
And sprinkle sparkles there. 

Then, oh, the world will wonder 
To see the willows shine, 
And even the fireflies will not know 
Their tiny sparks from mine. 



Conspiracy 

The sun has a face that is laughing and red 
When nurse pulls me out in the morning from 

bed; 
But he's not half so sly as the silly old moon, 
Who winks when I'm sent to my bedroom too 

soon. 



37 



Quckoo Qlock 

The cuckoo in the clock by day 

Is usually very gay; 

And that's because, with people near, 

There's not a thing for him to fear; 

But when the sitting room is dim 
And no one's there to welcome him — 
How tremblingly he must come out 
To flap his wings and look about. 

Why! Only just the other night 

The cuckoo stopped the clock from fright ! 



38 



The Sentinel 

I'm only a little toy dough-boy, 

And I have neither sorrows nor fears; 

But I patiently wait, 

With my gun pointed straight 

And my helmet pulled down on my ears. 

The ugly wood lions and tigers 

May show their white teeth if they please, 

If the whole of Noah's ark 

Should threaten and bark 

It wouldn't unstiffen my knees. 

And some day when you are a soldier 

With your helmet pulled down on your ears 

I'll still be as straight 

As I wonder and wait, 

Standing my watch through the years. 



39 



Royalty 

If I should meet a king or queen 
Upon the street some day, 
Do you think that I'd be frightened? 
Why, I'd know just what to say. 

"Your reverend majesties," I'd say, 
And humbly bow the knee, 
"I am your very humble swain, 
And will you honor me?" 

The king would strike my shoulder 
With a sword of passing might, 
He'd lift me grandly to my feet, 
He'd say, "Arise, O Knight!" 

Oh, I would not be frightened, 

For I've seen kings galore, 

Don't you think it's just to learn of them 

That playing cards are for? 



40 



Qrackers 

Oh, there are very many kinds 
Of crackers, great and small, 
Saltines and ginger-snaps and such, 
I'd like to eat them all; 

But there's a kind of cracker 
That I need much worse, 
A bright red giant cracker 
To set off under nurse ! 



The T^rum 

The drum's a very quiet fellow 
When he's left alone; 
But oh, how he does roar and bellow, 
Rattle, snap and groan, 
Clatter, spatter, dash and patter, 
Rumble, shriek and moan 
Whene'er I take my sticks in hand 
And beat him soundly for the band. 



4i 



Theatricals 

Now I'll play at being queen, 

Hold my head quite stiff and haughty, 
Always proud and never naughty, 

Sweeping grandly down the green. 

Or I'll be a moonlight fairy, 
Bobbing lightly on the river, 
Dancing where the shadows quiver, 

Winged and shining, swift and wary. 

If the doctor thinks I'm sick, 

He's just silly. / am not! 

I'm just tired and very hot, 
Hating drink that's sweet and thick. 

Flowers dance across the walls, 
Mother's face seems far away, 
She's the audience, I'm the play, 

She will clap for curtain calls. 

No ! — I do not want to play! 
Seven thrones around my bed, 
Circling gold about my head — 

Angels always fly away! 



42 



Sally 



If I were a stately sailboat, 

I'd sail to Zanzibar, 

I'd sail the seven secret seas, 

Where the secret cities are, 

And some day I'd be sailing with the wind before 

my prow, 
And all the mermaids of the sea would clamber 

up the bow. 
They'd beckon me with laughter, 
They'd beckon me with smiles, 
They'd show me cakes and candies 
In half a dozen styles, 
They'd promise me a life of ease 
Eating sweets beneath the seas, 
They'd promise me a life of play — 
A never ending holiday; 
But I would say quite plainly, 
And, oh, how stern I'd look! 
Do you think that you can tempt me 
While Sally is our cook? 

If I were a little fire balloon 
I'd float aloft to Mars, 
I'd pay a call on Venus 
And chatter with the stars, 

43 



And just as I'd be fluttering across the yellow 

moon, 
The angels would come singing a solemn Sunday 

tune. 
They'd beckon to me gravely, 
They'd tell me I could stay, 
They'd show me all the jewels 
That pave the milky way. 
They'd promise me a golden crown 
And silver robes like eider-down, 
They'd give me harps with shiny strings 
And wonderfully fluffy wings ; 
BUT — I would tell them plainly 
I didn't want to die- 
Till all the angel cooks had learned 
How Sally makes mince pie ! 



44 



Songs for a Qhristmas 'Tree 



^Bundles 

A bundle is a funny thing, 
It always sets me wondering; 
For whether it is thin or wide 
You never know just what's inside. 

Especially on Christmas week, 
Temptation is so great to peek! 
Now wouldn't it be much more fun 
If shoppers carried things undone? 



47 



The Qandy Santa Qlaus 

I'm very fond of candles 
With their quaint coquettish way, 
But alas ! I wooed too often, 
And now my life's to pay. 

They knew I was important 
When they decked the Christmas tree, 
Yes, they hung me on the tip-top 
For all the world to see. 

But, alas ! A lady candle 
Has come with me to the top, 
And I'm melting with affection, 
I'm dying drop by drop. 



4 8 



The Tinsel Star 

I'm just a shiny tinsel star, 
Boxed all the time as such things are, 
And only used just once a year, 
Oh, life is very dull and drear! 

A real star has far fields to roam, 
A tinsel star must stay at home. 
It is a terrible vexation 
To be a silly imitation ! 



49 



The Ambitious zj&ouse 

If all the world were candy 
And the sky were frosted cake, 
Oh, it would be a splendid job 
For a mouse to undertake ! 

To eat a path of sweetmeats 
Through candy forest aisles — 
Explore the land of Pepper-mint 
Stretched out for miles and miles. 

To gobble up a cloudlet, 

A little cup-cake star, 

To swim a lake of liquid sweet 

With shores of chocolate bar. 

But, best of all the eating, 
Would be the toothsome fat, 
Triumphant hour of mouse-desire, 
To eat a candy cat ! 



50 



Grayer 

Last night I crept across the snow, 
Where only tracking rabbits go, 
And then I waited quite alone 
Until the Christmas radiance shone ! 

At midnight twenty angels came, 
Each white and shining like a flame. 
At midnight twenty angels sang, 
The stars swung out like bells and rang. 

They lifted me across the hill, 
They bore me in their arms until 
A greater glory greeted them. 
It was the town of Bethlehem. 

And gently, then, they set me down, 
All worshipping that holy town, 
And gently, then, they bade me raise 
My head to worship and to praise. 

And gently, then, the Christ smiled down 
Ah, there was glory in that town ! 
It was as if the world were free 
And glistening with purity. 

And in that vault of crystal blue, 
It was as if the world were new, 

5i 



And myriad angels, file on file, 
Gloried in the Christ-child's smile. 

It was so beautiful to see 

Such glory, for a child like me, 

So beautiful, it does not seem 

It could have been a Christmas dream. 



52 



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